Eggplant Gratin With Feta Cheese - Healthy Eggplant Gratin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to tender eggplant? ›

The other trick for perfect roasted eggplant? Cooking it at a high temperature (425 F / 218 C) for enough time (25-30 minutes) to give it a browned exterior and tender interior.

The peel of an eggplant is completely edible. However, as the eggplant grows bigger and matures, the peel may become tough and bitter. People often prefer to peel larger eggplants because of this, but smaller eggplants do just fine unpeeled. It ends up being a matter of personal preference.

Eggplants are high in fiber and low in calories - they can contribute to a healthy, low-calorie diet. However, eggplant can absorb a lot of oil during frying and cooking. Anyone who wants to lose weight should prepare the dish in another way, such as boiling or even eating it raw.

However, eggplants also contain a substance, solanine, which is used to defend themselves against fungi and insects. It is precisely on this substance that the bitter taste of the eggplants depends. To eliminate it, the most common methods are soaking in water and vinegar and the salt technique.

Soak it in milk.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

Conventional wisdom has you salt the slices to draw bitter liquid out of the eggplant. Once the slices have sat for about a hour, you're suppose to rinse them under cool water to remove any excess salt and then proceed with your recipe.

Older recipes call for salting eggplant to draw out the bitter juices, but today's eggplants are less bitter (unless very large), so salting is largely unnecessary. It will, however, help the spongy flesh absorb less oil and crisp up like a dream.

The secret for keeping the purple in eggplants is soaking it in vinegar for 5 minutes. This step is optional as it doesn't affect the taste, but if you are serving guests, soak the eggplant in 6 cups of water and 3 tbsp of vinegar for 5 minutes, and the eggplant will stay nice and purple even after steaming.

Many recipes call for salting and rinsing eggplant before cooking it to draw out its bitterness. Brining can be used instead and has the added advantage of helping the eggplant keep its shape when it's cooked, whether your recipe calls for baking, frying, or grilling.

You mentioned that once they turned out tough and chewy: then they were not cooked fully through. Vegetables are not like meat, which turn rubbery when overcooked. They turn soft rather. Watch out for the opposite as well: Eggplants when cooked for a long time may turn mushy.

Should eggplant be refrigerated? ›

Eggplants do not store well for long periods of time. Without refrigeration, eggplants can be stored in a cool, dry place for 1 or 2 days. If you don't intend to eat the eggplant within 2 days, it should be refrigerated.

1. Salt the Eggplant to Remove Excess Moisture. This is key to crispy results. Eggplants are 92% water.

Can You Eat Eggplant Raw? Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.

Grilling or Roasting: Grilling or roasting eggplants can help retain their nutritional value. Before grilling, slice or prick the eggplant to allow steam to escape. This method caramelizes the natural sugars in the eggplant, enhancing its taste without losing many nutrients.

Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake until tender. Grilling: Cut the eggplant into thick slices or cubes, brush with oil and seasonings, and grill until charred and soft. Sautéing: Slice the eggplant into thin rounds or strips, heat a pan with some oil, and sauté until golden brown and tender.

Cooking brinjal by grilling, roasting, sautéing, or frying can help to reduce the solanine levels and make it easier to digest. Cooked brinjal can also be a healthy and nutritious addition to a balanced diet. It is low in calories and high in fiber, potassium, and vitamins C and K.